Looking into a robotic mop? Here's what you need to know

Robotic vacuums went mainstream about twenty years ago and since then, they have improved and dropped in price. Now, robotic mops are the next big thing in keeping your floors clean.

Consumer Reports just put several to the test and found these new machines look and operate a lot like robotic vacuums do.

“Robotic mops range from basic models that are operated by remote control to sophisticated hybrid ones that mop and vacuum and are controlled by a remote or an app,” Tyler Ivester with Consumer Reports told CTV News Toronto.

Robotic mops are designed to clean hard surface floors like tile, vinyl, or some hardwood, but not carpet.

Testers spilled espresso and V8 juice on ceramic tile and vinyl flooring to see how well a robotic mop can do its job, and then let it dry.

Through this testing, the top smart mops were found to tackle the stains and leave a clean floor behind, with models with spinning mop heads doing the best job.

“In our navigation test, we see how well a mop can avoid obstacles. We see how well they steer around furniture as well as how they interact with both cords and carpet fringe,” said Ivester.

A pricey hybrid model from Narwal came out on top in these tests, with an auto-clean function that will also wash the spinning mop heads. The Narwal T10 4 in 1 Robotic Mop sells for $1,408.

For less, testers liked the Samsung Jetbot mop, which is similar to the Narwal but lacks the self-cleaning function. As a bonus, it can be used as a handheld scrubber for surfaces like your shower.

One downside testers pointed to in this model is that it’s more than 12 centimetres tall, which means it may not fit under some furniture or the toe kick of your kitchen cabinets. The Samsung Jetbot Mop sells for $335.

The Bissell Spinwave Wet and Dry Robotic Vacuum is about eight centimetres tall and also did well in tests, and will set shoppers back $285.

Robotic mops that were tested will run for between 50 to 100 minutes, which is long enough to clean the average main floor of a home.